08: Who is in control? How the brain controls our thoughts and actions

The question of how we voluntarily control our behaviour has fascinated researchers at all times. It touches on important philosophical issues, most notably the problem of free will. In recent years several advances in cognitive neuroscience have vastly increased our understanding of voluntary behaviour. The aim of our seminar is to give an overview of the state-of-the-art in neuroscientific research on cognitive and motor control. We will discuss how these findings help us understand how the brain controls our thoughts and actions. Importantly, we will also critically discuss which implication brain science has for the old problem of free will.